Will Trent Season 4 makes Kevin Daniels a series regular as Det. Wilks’ story expands

ABC’s Will Trent Season 4 is giving Detective Franklin Wilks a bigger spotlight, with actor Kevin Daniels officially promoted to series regular. The promotion comes after three seasons of Daniels playing Wilks as a recurring character. He is primarily known as Angie Polaski’s AA sponsor and a calm, dependable presence in the Atlanta police bullpen. With production for the new season beginning in August 2025, this change signals a more active role for Wilks in the GBI’s cases when the show returns in 2026.

Will Trent, based on Karin Slaughter’s bestselling novels, follows Special Agent Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez) of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, whose high clearance rate makes him one of the GBI’s top agents. The show’s Season 3 delivered record-breaking ratings, drawing over 10 million viewers across platforms.

Daniels joins Rodríguez, Erika Christensen, Iantha Richardson, Jake McLaughlin, and Sonja Sohn in the main cast. His promotion follows Rodríguez’s new multi-year first-look deal with 20th Television, the studio behind the series. Daniels, whose TV credits include The Big Leap, Frasier, Modern Family, and Atypical, now steps into a larger arc that will further develop Wilks’ professional and personal storylines, expanding his role within the ensemble.

Kevin Daniels takes a larger role in Will Trent Season 4 as Detective Wilks moves to the forefront

Kevin Daniels’ upgrade to series regular marks a significant shift in Will Trent’s approach to Detective Franklin Wilks. Until now, Wilks has mostly appeared in the background or in supporting scenes, offering advice, grounding Angie during tough moments, and occasionally contributing to investigations.

Will Trent Season 4 will give him more agency within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s cases. Audiences will likely see him in the field, interrogating suspects, or managing leads alongside Will Trent and Faith Mitchell. This move also opens the door for more detailed exploration of Wilks’ own backstory, which the show has only hinted at in passing.

The decision comes at a time when Will Trent is operating as one of ABC’s most dependable performers. Its third season not only outpaced Season 2’s viewership but also landed in the top 10 most-watched shows across all broadcast networks, according to Nielsen’s competitive rankings. Adding a familiar face like Daniels to the main cast helps keep the ensemble stable while still providing fresh material for returning viewers.

Daniels brings a career of versatility to the role, having shifted between drama and comedy in projects like Sirens, Council of Dads, and The Big Leap. In Will Trent, that flexibility has allowed him to play Wilks as steady yet adaptable, able to switch from empathetic listener to sharp investigator when needed. Season 4’s expanded scope will test those qualities, especially as the writers weave Wilks deeper into the central investigative threads.

His promotion also strengthens the character network within the show. Wilks’ connections to both the Atlanta PD and Angie create opportunities for crossover storylines between GBI investigations and local cases. It could also mean more direct conflict or collaboration with Michael Ormewood, whose personality and methods differ from Wilks’ measured approach.

Behind the scenes, this change aligns with the production’s broader stability. Ramón Rodríguez’s multi-year deal with 20th Television indicates long-term confidence in the series, and keeping an actor like Daniels on contract ensures consistency for future seasons.

For the audience, Wilks stepping forward means a better balance between the show’s core characters and its growing roster of secondary figures. By embedding him more deeply into the action, Will Trent Season 4 positions Wilks not just as Angie’s supporter but as an indispensable part of the GBI’s most complex cases.

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